Room in railroad cars



July 23, 1929.

F. F. THOMPSON lET' AL ROOM IN RAILROAD CARS 4 Sheets-Sheet l F. F. THOMPSON ET AL ROOM IN RAILROAD CARS July 23, 1929.

Filed June 24, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 23, 1929- F. F. THoMP'soN ET AL 1,721,755

- ROOM IN RAILROAD CARS l Filed June 24, 1927 '4 Sheets-Sheet 3 @0277i momps 07? Patented .luly Z3, 1929.

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FRANK r. 'rHoMrson or CHICAGO, AND Ross J. LLsWoR'rH, or Woonsrocn, 11minors, Assia-Notes To Homvrns Dtserrnenrns BED COMPANY, or" WooDsTocK, rtm1- NOIS, A CORPORATON OF ILLNOIS.

ROOM IN RAILROAD CARS.

Application Afiled .Tune 24, 1927. Serial No. 201,044.`

This invention relates to room structures ot railway cars and has for its object the provision ot such type of room wherein a full size bed is provided for night travel, which,

when not in use, may be completely concealed to leave the body ot the room free and unincumbered.

lith the above and other objects in view, as will be apparent, this invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement ot' parts all as hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a .horizontal section througharoom constructed Vin accordance with the present invention, illustrating the floor plan there-otl and its arrangement in the car body together with the mounting of the bed and provision et storage space.

F ig. 2 is an elevation oi one ot the Siae walls of the room, showing the positions occupied by the elements when4 the bed is entirely housed and concealed.

Fi 2% is a similar view of the opposite side wall showing a couch provided for day travel, lowered into the room.

Fig. ,l is an elevation ot the outer end wall ot the room which is also the outer wall o'l' the car illustrating the side walls in vertical section.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through a side wall panel, which also Jfunctions as a bed end, showing one ot' the legs for supporting` the outer side ot' the bed 'frame independently of the panel.

Fig. A6 is a horizontal section taken along the line (3-6 ot Figure 5 to illustrate the mounting of the leg and its cooperationwith the bed trame.

Fig. T is also a horizontal section but taken along` line 7 7 ot Fig. 5 to show further details oit the construction of the leg mounting, and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal sec-l way car is created merely by placing walls around a sleeping car section so that the room contains a standard upperand lower berth. The lower berths o1 such arrangements are made up from the seats used `for day travel while the upper berths are housed at an angle to the wall and ceiling of the room above these seats. The drawing room differs trom the compartments only in that they provide an annex or a separate room tor the toilet and have a lounge alongone side oi' the room which is present in the roomv at all times.

The exceptions to this arrangement consist in either a long narrow room having a bed permanently lined at one side thereof or a standard bed permanently placed in the room. ln both instances no provision is made for the occupantsduring vday travel by freeing the room of the bed and its apparten nances. rlhus the-use of such rooms is wholly restricted to over-night journeys for the reason that no disposition can be made 'of the bed to provide tor seating of the passengers in the room. y

It is therefore manifest that prior hereto there have been two general types oli room constructions in railway cars; lirst, that having the berth or bed made up from the seats, which are fixed in their positions in the room, and second` that having a bed permanently positioned in the room wherein practically no seating accommodations are provided. In neither type of room does the body of the room contain freely movable seats, nor is the body of the room ever tree of the bed or its elements The present invention contemplates a room in a railway car wherein a full-sized double bed is provided and which may be concealed in one wall of the room when not in use, and the provision ot' movable chairs and other furniture for use in day travel, leaving ample space for the storage of such chairs, without collapsing, when the bed is lowered and in use. ln other words, by the use ot the present invention the lioor of the room is unincumbered when the bed is not in use whereby movable'standard chairs may be usedvfor vday travel and the room will have the appearance of a living or sitting room.

Reference being had to the drawings, 10 designates a room located in a railway car. This room is created by a corridor wall 13 .sired to use the toilet 44.

arranged parallel to and adjoining one of the outer car walls 18 and the transverse partitions 15 and 16 extending from the corridor wall to the opposite car wall 11. The windows 12 in thecar wall 11 are embraced between the partitions 15 and 16 and a door 14 is provided in the corridor wall 13 opposite the windows 12 whereby access may be had from the room to the corridor 17 between the corridor wall 13 and the outer car wall 18.

VThe partition 15 is of double thickness throughout part of its length creating a pocket 15a between the sheeting making up the double thickness of the partition 15. At the end of the partition adjoining the corridor wall 13 and to the rear of the door 14 the partition 15 is of a single thickness (Figs. 1 and 3) thereby creating a recess or alcove 40. A medicine cabinet 42, a water cooler 41 and a wash basin or bowl 43 may be housed or located in the recess or alcove 40.

At the end of the double partition 15 adjoining the alcove or recess is a standard railway toilet 44 covered by an upholstered seat 45. This seat 45 is raised when it is de- An upholstered back 45a is provided'in or on the wall 15 for the seat 45- On one side of the cabinet of the toilet 44 and on the car wall 11 opposed thereto is an angle support or bracket 48 which supports a panel 46 hinged to the wall 15 as at The outer surface of this panel is finished ,to match the wall 15 while its opposite surface carries the upholstery 47 which corresponds in all respects to the upholstery .of the seat 45.v When the panel 46 rests on the supporting brackets 48 the upholstery 47 aligns with and forms a continuation of the upholstered seat 45 so that a couch or settee is provided equal in length to the combined A lengths of the seat 45 and upholstery 47. An

upholstered back 50 is provided in the wall 15 for the seat 47 and is provided with a carrying panel 49 which is provided with rollers 49a at its corners. These rollers operate in the i grooves 52 of uprights 52a housed in the recess that the upholstered side thereof will present aback to the seat 47.

When it is desired to remove the couch or panel 46 from its position projecting into the room 10 the catches 51 are loosened permitting the back 50 and its panel 49 to be forced j into the pocket 15a, the rollers 49El operating` in the grooves 52 for that purpose. This permits the panel 49 and back 50 to be lowered in the pocket leaving` the opening in the wall 15 formerly occupied thereby, free and open to receive the upholstered seat 47 and allow the sea-ting of the panel 46 therein. As the panel in iini sh matches the wall, a relatively smooth uninterrupted wall surface is provided and the couch is wholly concealed leaving the toilet 44 and its seat 45 projecting into the body of the room.

The wall 16 separating two of the compartments or rooms has a horizontal plate or partition transversely arranged across its upper end creating below the partition a cabinet or recess 20. 1f `there are two ad.- joining rooms the wall 16 acts as a partition between these rooms and the plate 19 is projected upon both sides of said partition thereby creating a cabinet or recess 20 upon each side of the partition.

This cabinet or recess 20 is open at the side facing the room and is there provided with two panels 21 hinged at each end or side of the cabinet or recess. These panels 21 have their outer faces finished to correspond to the finish of the Wall and a similar finish may be provided on their inner faces. The free ends of the panels are provided with vertical posts 27 and the general outline or contour thereof is such that when the panels are open or positioned at rightanglesto the partition 16 they will simulate in appearance, particularly to one situated therebetween, bed ends.

Folding braces 26 are vinterposed between the floor of the cabinet or recess 2O and the lower edge of each panel 21 whereby the outward swing of the panels is limited and they are held more or less vliXed from movement relative to the partition, when at right anits upper end the bearing 31 is provided with a transverse member provided with inwardly sloping Walls or guiding members 33. The upper end of the plunger rod 35 has a head 36 and between this head 36 and the shoulder 32 the rod is surrounded by helical coil spring 37 designed to project the rod upwardly toward and between the guiding members 33. When the plunger' rod 35 is at the extreme upper end of its path of movement the head 36 rests between the projections formed by the guiding members 33 and the leg 34 is clear of the floor so that the panel 21 may swing freely, the upward movement thereof being stopped by the shoulder 32 cooperating with the upper end ofthe leg 34. This is the normal position of the elements just described in which they are held by the action of the spring 37.

The legs 34, one on each panel 21, constitute supports for the outer side of the bed frame to be described, so that none of the weight of the bed frame will be supported by thel panels 21. At each end of the cabinet or recess and on the floor is mounted a vertical upright 23 to which is pivoted as at 25 a bed frame 24 which may swing about said pivots from a vertical position in the cabinet or recess 2() to a horizontal position projecting into the'room. This bed frame is rectangular in form and is constructed of angle iron as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. The springs, mattress and bedding are supported' by this frame and may be secured thereto in any desirable and suitable inanner. i

When the bed frame 24 is vertically positioned as illustrated in Fig. 4 the springs, bedding, mattress, etc. are located between the frame and the partition 1G. The panels may then close the opening of the closet or recess 2O by swinging them to be located. coplanar. Should the panels 21, in order to conform in appearance and contour to the head and foot ends of the bed, be insufficient to fill the entire opening of the rrecess or cabinet 20, an auxiliary panel 22 may be hinged to the outer edge of the horizontal plate 19 and have its lower edge formed to interlock with the upper edges of the panels 21. rThus, when the panels are coplanar and the auxiliary panel 22 extending above them to the edge of the plate 19, all of the panels combine to form a plane surface or wall between the plate 19 and the fioor. Manifestly the auxiliary panel may be mounted to slide into the recess 20 under the plate 19 if desired.

vVhen the panels 21 are positioned at right angles to the partition 16 as illustrated in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 4, the bed frame 24 may be lowered to a horizontal position and in so doing the vertical side of the angle iron of which said frame is made enters between the guiding surfaces 33 and contacts with the heads of the legs 34. This forces the legs downwardly against the action of the springs 37 so that the weight of the bed frame is supported by said legs independently of the panels 31. Upon .elevating the bed frame 24 to return it to its vertical position in the recess or cabinet 20, the springs 37 automatically elevate the legs when the weight of the frame 24 is removed from the heads 36.

Above the horizontal plate 19 is provided a series of cabinets 28 and 29 closed by they doors which constitute continuations of the panels 21 and 22 so that the entire wall structure, including the recess or cabinet 2() and the various closets or cabinets 28 and 29, presents a smooth finished wall from which there are no projections.

If there are two adjoining rooms in the car, the partition 16 acts as a wall between said lrooms and the closets 28 are so arranged that one opens into one room and the other into the other room. One closet 29 opens into each room, being a shallow closet as distinguished from the deep closet 28 which are equal in depth to the combined depths of the recesses or cabinets 20. If it is desired, a closet 38 may be provided adjoining the corridor wall 13 opposite to the windows 12 which will extend from the ceiling to the floor of the room and provide for the hanging of wearing apparel. If such a closet is not desired a desk or other suitable furniture may be substituted therefor.

The couch seat 47 may be elevated when the bed frame 24 is lowered to the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 so that chairs may be stored between the edge of the bed frame and the wall 15 and between the upholstered seat and the outer wall 11 of the car when the bed is in use. Upon positioning the bed in the recess or cabinet 2O the body of the room is left free .and unincumbered so that the chairs may be located in the room where convenient therein and the seat 4T of the vcouch lowered or raised Aas desired.

From the foregoing it will be manifest that a room structure is provided for railway cars by means of which the room presents the comfort and appearance of a living or sitting room for day travel and may be converted to a bed room for night travel. Furthermore the present room structure provides for the storage of baggage, clothing and other personal effects whereby the room is free and clear thereof.

lVhatis claimed is:

1. In a railway car the combination with a room, having a cabinet contained in one wall thereof, of panels acting as closures for said cabinet, and a bed frame mounted in said cabinet to be moved from a vertical position entirely within the cabinet to a horizontal position in the room.

2. In a railway car, the combination with a room, having a cabinet contained in one wall thereof, of panels acting as closures for said cabinet, a bed frame mounted in said cabinet to be moved from a vertical position entirely within the cabinet to a horizontal position within the room, and meanswhereby the panels constitute head and foot ends for the frame when positioned horizontally.

3. In a railway car having an inner corridor wall spaced from and parallel to one of the outer car walls and a pair of transverse walls extending from said corridoi.' wall to the other outer car wall, the combination with a full sized bed mounted in one of said side walls to occupy a position entirely contained within said wall.

4. In a railway car having an inner corridor wall spaced from .and parallel to one of the outer car walls and a pair of transverse partitions extending from said corridor wall to the other car wall, thereby forming a room, the combination with a cabinet in one of saidtransverse walls, of a bed frame mounted to be entirely contained in said cabinet in a vertical position leaving the body of the room unincuinbered, or to be projected horizontally into said room.

5. In a railway car having an inner corridor wall spaced from and parallel to one of. the outer car walls and transverse partitions extending from said corridor wall to the other car wall, thereby forming a room between said partitions, the combination with a cabinet in one oit said transverse walls, of panels ilor closing said cabinet and adapted in so doing to present a linished wall without projections, and a bed frame mounted to be either entirely contained in said cabinet in a substantially vertical. position and when so positioned be concealed by said panels, or be projected into a horizontal position in said room.

G; ln a railway car having an inner corridor wall, spaced troni and parallel to one ot the outer car walls, and transverse partitions extcnding from said corridor wall to the other car wall, thereby creating` a room between said partitions, the combination with a cabinet in one ot the transverse walls, of panels formed t0 simulate bed ends, pivoted to the transverse wall adjoining the cabinet to close said cabinet, and adapted. in so doing to present a finished wall without projections, said panels being also adapted to extend into the rooinat right angles to the wall, and a bed frame pivoted in said cabinet to be con tained entirely therein and concealed by the panels, whereby'the body of the room is un- Y incuinbcred, or to be swung into a horizontal position. 'in the room when the panels attoresaid rest at right angles to the said transverse wall. u

7. ln a railway car having an inner corridor wall, spaced trom and parallel to one o' the outer car walls, and transverse partitions eXtc-nding from said corridor wall t0 the other cack wall, thereby creating a room between said partitions, the combination with a cabinet in one ot the transverse walls, of panels formed to simulate bed ends, pivoted to the transverse wall adjoining the cabinet to close said cabinet, and adapted in so doing to present a inished wall without projections, said panels being also adapted to eX- tend into the room at right angles to the wall, and a bed trame pivoted in said cabinet to be contained entirely therein and concealed by the panels whereby the body of the room is unincrnnbered, or to be swung into a horizontal position in the room when the panels atoresaid rest at right angles to the said transverse wall and where said panels act as bed ends for said bed trame.

8. In a railway car having an inner corridor wall, spaced .trom and parallel to one ot the outer ear walls, and transverse partitions extending from said corridor wall to the other car wall, thereby creating a room beroom upon the panels being located at rightV angles to the wall, and means ol connection between the panels and the bed frame whereby the tormer'constitute bed ends for the latter when positioned horizontally in the room.

9.1n a railway car having an inner corridor wall, spaced trom and parallel to one ot the outer car walls, and transverse partitions extending trom said corridor wall to the Y other car wall, thereby creating a room between said partitions, the combination with a cabinet in one of the transverse walls, ot' panels formed to simulate bed ends, pivoted to the transverse wall adjoining the cabinet to close said cabinet, and adapted in so doing to present a finished wall without projections, said panels being also adapted to extend into the room at right angles to the wall, a bed iframe pivoted in said cabinet to occupy either a vertical position therein and be concealed by the panels leaving the body ot the room unincumbered, or to project horizontally into the room upon the panels being located at right angles to the wall, movable legs carried on the inner faces of said panels adjacent the free ends thereof, and means wherebythe bed frame cooperates with said panels and said legs to move the latter to contact with the floor it'or the support of the bed frame upon its being located horizontally, and the former constitute head and foot ends for said trame.

' l0. In a railway year having an inner corridor wall, spaced. from and parallel to one of the outer car walls, and transverse partitions extending from said corridor wall to the other car wall, thereby creating a room between said partitions, the combination with a cabinet in one of the transverse walls, of panels formed to simulate bed ends, pivoted to the transverse wall adjoining the cabinet to close said cabinet, and adapted in so doing to present a finished wall without projections,

said panels being` also adapted to extend intoV the room at right angles to the wall, a bed frame pivoted in said cabinet to occupy either a vertical position therein and be concealed by the panels leaving the body of the room unincumbered or to project horizontally into the room upon the panels being located at right angles to the wall, movable legs carried on the inner 'faces of said panels, and means whereby the bed frame cooperates with said panels and said legs so that the latter are moved to contact with the floor to support the bed frame independently of the panels, when said panels are positioned at right angles to the wall and the bed frame located horizontally therebetween.

11. In a railway car having an inner Corridor wall, spaced from and parallel to one of the outer ear walls, and transverse partitions extending from said corridor wall to the other car wall, thereby creating a room between said partitions, the combination with a cabinet in one ot the transverse walls, of panels formed to simulate bed ends, pivoted to the trans verse wall adjoining the cabinet to close said cabinet, and adapted in so doing to present a linished wall without projections, said panels being also adapted to extend into the room at right angles to the wall, a bed frame pivoted at one of its sides in said cabinet to occupy either a vertical position in the cabinet or a horizontal position projecting in the room, said frame being concealed by the panels when in the cabinet thereby leaving the body of the room unincumbered and presenting a finished wall, legs mounted on said panels, and means whereby said legs support the tree side of the bed frame independently of the panels when the frame is positioned horizontally.

12. A room structure for railway cars comprising a side wall having a transverse plate mounted thereon, a bed frame adapted to be positioned parallel to said wall below the plate or positioned in the room, and a closure for the space between the plate and the floor.

13. A room structure for railway cars coinprising a side wall having a transverse plate mounted thereon, a bed traine adapted to be positioned parallel to said wall below the plate or positioned in the room, and a closure tor the space between the plate and the floor, operative when the bed frame is parallel to the wall.

14. A room structure for railway cars comprising a side wall having a transverse plate mounted thereon, a' bed frame adapted to be positioned parallel to said wall below the plate or positioned in the room, closets above said plate, closures for said closets, and closures for the space between the floor and plate.

15. A room structure for railway cars comprising a side wall having a transverse plate mounted thereon, a bed 'trame adapted to be positioned parallel to said wall below the plate or positioned in the room, closets above said plate, closures for said closets, and closures for the space between the floor and plate, all of said closures when in their operative positions occupying the same vertical plane to present a complete wall.

16. In a railway car the combination with a room having` a cabinet therein, of closures tor said cabinet, -and a bed trame mounted in said cabinet to be moved from a position entirely within the cabinet to a horizontal position in the room.

FRANK F. rriaoi/rrson. Ross J. nLLswoarn.y 

